HIGHWAY PATROL

August 29, 2013

- Joshua Elerick, 18, Ride Street, Leetonia, was traveling north on state Route 9 in Butler Township at 1:30 a.m. Saturday when he drove off the road, striking three trees. Elerick was flown to St. Elizabeth's in Youngstown for injuries. While at St. E's, Elerick reportedly admitted to having purchased and drank alcohol to keep him awake and also smoked marijuana earlier in the day. He was cited for failure to control and OVI.

- A semi-truck owned by Berner Trucking, Dover, and driven by Vernon Burke Jr., 62, Dennison, was driving on state Route 39 in Yellow Creek Township at 11:15 a.m. Tuesday when Burke drove off the road, hitting a pole. Burke was cited for failure to control.

- During an OVI checkpoint on state Route 45 in Perry Township at 8:25 p.m. Friday, Audrey Skidmore, 73, Duck Creek Road, Salem, drove into the rear of Wendy Stiffler, 54, Lexington Avenue, Salem, who had been stopped at the checkpoint. Skidmore was cited for assured clear distance.

- Mary Leech, 39, Alliance, was driving on U.S. 62 when she was struck in the back by Desiree Masters, 18, South Johnson Road, Sebring. Masters was cited for failure to assure clear distance.

- John Treleven, 28, Jones Drive, Salem, was traveling north on state Route 14 in Perry Township at 2:05 a.m. Friday when he struck the back of a truck owned by BFI of Ohio, Youngstown, driven by Jesse Childester, 42, Grandview Avenue, East Palestine. Trevelen and his passenger, Tamara Pittman, 32, South Union Avenue, Salem, were taken to St. Elizabeth's in Youngstown. Police detected a strong odor on Treleven's breath along with slurred speech and glassy eyes. Treleven will be cited for OVI pending lab results, the patrol said.

- Dillan Reynolds, 16, Park Place Avenue, East Liverpool, was traveling south on state Route 7 in Madison Township at 9:45 a.m. Friday when he was drove off to avoid Jodi Linger, 54, Leslie Road, Lisbon, as she was driving from Leslie Road toward Reynolds' general direction. Reynolds, in the process, hit an embankment and stop sign. Linger contended, however, that vegetation at the intersection of Leslie Road and state Route 7 prevented her from a clear view. Linger was cited for failure to yield at a stop sign.

- Eric Ross, 45, Youngstown, was driving south on state Route 7 in Fairfield Township at 12:10 p.m. Sunday when he lost control, struck a traffic sign, and drove into a ditch. Ross was cited for failure to control.

- Omar Forero, 30, Canton, was driving east on U.S. 30 in Center Township at 7 a.m. Sunday when the left front tire blew out. As he was attempted to pull into a driveway, he went off the road and struck a mailbox before landing in a field. No charges were filed.

- Police were called to an accident scene at Scotts Mill Road, Rogers, at 5:40 p.m. Sunday where they met with the property owner, Sonya Thompson. She said a white male drove off onto her property, severely damaging her mailbox. In addition to the mailbox, the male also struck a cement drain pipe and re-entered the roadway before parking on the side of the road and walking away. Despite several attempts by the Leetonia Police Department, where a reportedly registered owner resides, the driver and actual owner of the vehicle has not been found. The investigation will continue as soon as more information is gathered.

- John Packard, 73, Minerva, was at a stop sign in a construction zone on U.S. 30 in Center Township at 1:40 p.m. Thursday when he was struck in the rear by Todd Stout, 41, U.S. 30, Kensington. Packard veered into traffic while Stout drove off the road. Stout was cited for failure to assure clear distance.